New Kindles = no physical keyboard??

[Ron.]

Having a Kindle for almost a year and now having a nook simple touch, I find the keyboard on the nook a lot easier to use. The kindle keyboard was frustrating enough to me that I did not use it, I turned pages on the kindle, nothing more. The nook keyboard (onscreen) I find so much easier to use that I am typing more, making highlights is easier, dictionary lookup is easier etc...

My totally uninformed guess is that amazon is going to drop the DX in favor of a tablet, and the k4 will be a touch screen.

[WT Sharpe]

I would be very surprised if the Kindle tablet didn't have a touchscreen and no keyboard, and I'm fine with that. But I really hope the next generation Kindle reader retains the keyboard. On a 6" device, it's so much more precise than a touchscreen. I love the Kindle's keyboard.

[DiapDealer]

Just curious, what exactly do you type on the keyboard? How often do you use it? Because for me, I do a few searches here and there and a few notes here and there.

I can't speak for jimh, but as I've mentioned before, I like to create books for the Kindle. And the easiest way to proof for errors is to actually read the book in question on the Kindle and to take notes about any typos, formatting errors, or any other corrections/adjustments that need to be made to the ebook once I'm done reading. So I use the keyboard extensively when I'm doing that. You just start typing and a very small window opens (that obscures very little of the onscreen text) and you hit press the center button when done and keep on reading. Bringing up an onscreen touch keyboard would likely obscure a much bigger portion of the page (not to mention the keystrokes/gestures just to call it up). I just frankly have no use for a Kindle without a keyboard—in fact, the missing dedicated numbers row is one of the biggest reasons that I haven't upgraded from the Kindle 2 to the Kindle 3. Well, that and how light-duty the K3 feels compared to the K2, also.

My love of ebooks and ereaders has absolutely nothing to do with portability. My Kindle rarely leaves my house because I rarely read away from my house. I want a paperback-sized device (screen + keyboard). No bigger and certainly no smaller.

[mewmartigan]

My guess is that K4 is touchscreen, faster processor, maybe better resolution, etc.

I also think maybe they will lower the price of the Kindles with special offers. So you can get the touchscreen Kindle or stick with a K3 with keyboard which is still a fantastic device.

As others have said, there haven't exactly been major advances in eink lately so the K3 will still be relevant when the new Kindle comes.

The Amazon tablet, to me anyway, is a totally separate category since it isn't eink. It's more designed to take advantage of Amazon's android app store, video/music streaming services, etc.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by jimh12345

Jack, I just finished 30 years in the computer/software business, and you're spot on with those observations. Even before the internet, we had research firms like "Gartner Group" selling their wsidom on what was going to be big next year. And in my experience they had very little success in predicting the future even a year out.

The 'reviews' that I see on today's technology blogs are usually shallow, superficial repackagings of marketing bullet points and feature lists. So I hold their predictions in similarly low regard.

If I am not mistaken, almost everyone (myself included) predicted the kindle would be a flop. Who would want a pricey gizmo just for books?

I think the bias is basic human nature myself. We tend to see what we want to see as the next advance. And of course some developments are more cultural than others. If something new aids people in doing something they want to do it will make a bigger impact than something just as useful that people don't want. The horse and buggy gave way to the automobile in part for example (I think) because people wanted to get from place to place quicker than by horse. Likewise the cell phone took off because business people wanted to be able to be reachable for important messages and yet not tied down to a land line. And ereaders took off because people wanted a simple way to have multiple books on hand without having to carry pounds of paper around. Our fast paced culture helped in the development of all 3. And I'm sure a lot of people saw each thing as a passing fad at the time. Even television was seen as a novelty when it first came out.

[tubemonkey]

For the coming holiday season, here's one possible lineup. I'm thinking they'll keep one of the current K3s (KSO WiFi) and drop the price below that magical $100 mark to $89. Then they'll add two new touch K4s - a WiFi with ads for $114 and a 3G without ads for $139. Rounding out this selection will be one or two tablets. First will be a 7" WiFi Android for $239 to compete against B&N's Nook Color ($249). No idea on the 10" tablet, but something well below the price point of competing products; and possibly not released until 2012.

• Kindle 3 SO WiFi = $89
• Kindle 4 Touch SO WiFi = $114
• Kindle 4 Touch 3G = $139
• Kindle 7" Tablet WiFi = $239
• Kindle 10" Tablet 3G = $349 ~ $399

Lots of possibilities exist considering the variation they have in their product line: WiFi vs 3G and special offers vs standard.

[JD78]

Personally, I not overly concerned about the hardware aspects of the rumored Kindle 4. IMO, it's the software/user interface that needs updating. I wouldn't mind a new touch screen especially if it came with an updated user interface that takes advantage of a feature like touch screen. As far as the keyboard, to me it would not be a huge lost since I only used mine to create collections.

[Barty]

Originally Posted by sparrowlight

Hello all! Like many of you, I'm excited to see the new Kindle models in October (or whenever they are revealed). I've been using my K2 for two years and it's served me well. Though I debated upgrading to a K3, I can't justify it when the K2 still works perfectly.

Here's my concern. What are the odds that neither of the new Kindles will include a physical keyboard? I know there has been chatter of a touchscreen Kindle as well as a Kindle/Amazon Tablet. I have played with the new Nook Touch and confirmed my suspicions that I do not want a touchscreen ereader! Even with a smaller form factor and ease of use...I far prefer the K2's (and K3's) physical keyboard.

Now I'm debating whether the new Kindles will do away with the physical keyboard, in which case I wonder whether I ought to go ahead and buy a new K3 right now (or one of the refurbished models). Will the K3 form factor / hardware still be available, if only for a short time, once the K4 is announced? Just wanted to hear some thoughts.

It's all speculation and wishful thinking now. In the past, Amazon refreshed the kindle about every 18 months. The k3 came out last August, so we may not even see another one this year.

Of course if you're happy with the k2, I'm not going to advise you to go out and buy a k3 NOW. You can still buy a k3 when the k4 comes out, I'm sure, for below $100.

[justinit]

as long as the touch version has input method as good as ipad or iphone, I will go for it.
the keyboard makes kindle aesthetically weaker than others like kobo touch

[DiapDealer]

the keyboard makes kindle aesthetically weaker than others like kobo touch

Why do people always forget to add; "in my opinion" to completely random statements like this? It's certainly not the fact it's often presented as.

[JD78]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Why do people always forget to add; "in my opinion" to completely random statements like this? It's certainly not the fact it's often presented as.

Is it really necessary? I tend to add "IMO" to my posts, but I can clearly tell that it was that person's opinion... It's not like he said, " It's a matter of fact that the keyboard makes kindle aesthetically weaker than others like kobo touch."

Every post in this thread is opinion on what they would like or not like to see in the next Kindle. I really don't think we HAVE to put a reminder on every post that this is only our opinion.

[DiapDealer]

It's not like he said, " It's a matter of fact that the keyboard makes kindle aesthetically weaker than others like kobo touch."

Actually it's almost exactly like he said that.

Every post in this thread is opinion on what they would like or not like to see in the next Kindle. I really don't think we HAVE to put a reminder on every post that this is only our opinion.

You're right, of course. But more of an effort should be made to NOT present our opinions as absolutes... as most in this thread have successfully done, including yourself.

[markdek]

Originally Posted by justinit

as long as the touch version has input method as good as ipad or iphone, I will go for it.
the keyboard makes kindle aesthetically weaker than others like kobo touch

I presume you don't like smartphones w/ keyboards either?

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Why do people always forget to add; "in my opinion" to completely random statements like this? It's certainly not the fact it's often presented as.

wow! you wouldn't believe how long i've been thinking about saying exactly that.

[Meemo]

Originally Posted by alansplace

wow! you wouldn't believe how long i've been thinking about saying exactly that.

I have said that very thing on other message boards. Yeah, it should probably go without saying that it's an opinion, not fact - but it would nip a lot of unpleasant discussions in the bud if people would just say it anyway. When someone doesn't add IMO, it can come across as a blunt statement of fact rather than opinion, and sets things off. Then again, that's what lots of folks enjoy...IMO

As far as the subject at hand (touch screen vs keyboard) I was a diehard keyboard gal until I played with the current Sony touch screens and the Nook's new touch screen. I liked them. I haven't had my K3 long, and I love it even more than I loved my K2. But a touch screen Kindle will be hard for me to resist, especially if they make some of the other changes users have been hoping for.

As far as what's coming for the "Kindle 4", the only clues we really have are from the WSJ article that came out about a month ago - which said that "Amazon plans to introduce two updated versions of its black-and-white Kindle in this year's third quarter, people familiar with the matter said. One of the new Kindles will have a touch screen, which current models don't have." These in addition to the Android tablet that they're strongly rumored to be introducing. Keeping the keyboard as an option would be smart on their part - not only do some readers prefer an actual keyboard, judging from what I read on various message boards there's a segment of readers that actually "need" a keyboard rather than a touch screen.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...#ixzz1VLBgwvjJ